5.03.2011

Al Gore's "Our Choice" app

By chance, I ran across across Al Gore's new high profile ipad/iphone app. Its a new kind of ebook (which presents the material from his paper book with the same title) where interactive graphics, maps, movies and data visualizations are all embedded in the text. After browsing it for just a few minutes, it becomes clear that it deserves the praise it's been getting for its innovation in design (regardless of whether or not you agree with its message). For complex multidimensional problems, like global climate change, getting an average person up to speed on the issues is costly. Design like this can help reduce this cost and get more people involved in the discussion in a meaningful way. For someone who wants a rapid and concise intro to the issues [and is willing to tolerate a few subjective/political interpretations of the issues], this is a fun way to go. You can download it here for $5. Trailer videos below.